_Robert COBBS _______+
| (1687 - 1769) m 1724
_Ambrose COBB _______|
| (1729 - 1797) |
| |_Crosia FRITH _______
| (1691 - 1768) m 1724
_John S COBB ________|
| (1759 - 1841) |
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Sarah HOWELL _______|
| (1734 - 1815) |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Robert COBB Sr.
| (1786 - 1849)
| _____________________
| |
| _Christopher SMITH __|
| | (1730 - 1804) |
| | |_____________________
| |
|_Frances SMITH ______|
(1770 - 1851) |
| _____________________
| |
|_Mary MAULDIN _______|
(1735 - ....) |
|_____________________
[N1259]
In contemporary terms, the life and death of Robert Cobb was "the stuff movies are made of!" A full understanding of his affairs is difficult to achieve, as the result of his escapades involving members of the fairer sex. It is documented that he was involved with at least three women, including his legal wife, simultaneously...and that he fathered at least fourteen children by those same three women.
He married Ellender Greer about 1810, and by 1828, had produced seven children by her. She was his only legal wife and remained so until his death in 1849. She died sometime after 1860.
On Mar 3, 1829, Lilly and Samuel Whitmire appeared in the Court of Pickens District, South Carolina, and made oath against Robert Cobb for having gotten Delilah Whitmire, a single woman (actually, she was still yet just a child), pregnant with a bastard child which was born 08 Apr 1825. This unfortunate female was the same Delilah Whitmire (daughter of Samuel) that eventually married one John Corbin. Delilah was the sister of Stephen Whitmire, the husband of Robert Cobb's sister Mary "Patsy". The child in question was a girl named Martha Jane. She lived with her mother's parents until Samuel Whitmire died in 1841. She then moved in with her mother who was by then married to John Corbin. Martha Jane then took the Corbin name. She eventually married Berry Atkins and moved to Cherokee County, Georgia, where she died in 1892. ***On a lighter note, it is interesting to mark that some 120 years later the great granddaughtter of Samuel Whitmire, Minnie Corbin, married the great grandson of Robert Cobb, Elbert C.Cobb.
Continuing, without benefit of either divorce or clergy, Robert "tookup" with one Nancy Adams about 1833, and by 1846, had produced six children by her. I will emphasize that this listing is only of the documented activities of Robert Cobb, and the children that survived to adulthood.
There can be no doubt that Robert was the "Black Sheep" of the Cobb family, and probably caused his pious parents much shame and grief. His lifestyle and unorthodox values were probably the reason his father did not appoint him the Executor of his Last Will & Testament in 1840.
Robert signed his own Last Will & Testament in Pickens District, South Carolina, on 08 December 1849, It was proved (or filed with the court) on 04 January 1850, indicating he had died in the interim. He appointed one Spencer Chambers and Ephraim Cobb (his son by his legal wife, Ellen Greer) the Executors of his estate. Witnesses to his signature were Lamech Chambers, Masiah Long, and Thomas Watkins (the latter two signing with their mark). It reads as follows:
South Carolina, Pickens District.
Know all men by these presents that I Robert Cobb do herein will and bequest all my earthly goods, and chattels, to be disposed of in the manner herein described and I do herein appoint Spencer Chambers and Ephraim Cobb my executors to see that this my Will is executed in the manner herein named. I Robert Cobb will that my just debts and funeral expenses shall be paid out of my goods and chattels. I will and bequeath to Robert L. Cobb one chestnut sorrel filley and one Rifle Gun. I will and bequeath to Nancy Adams one sorrel horse and all my stock of cattle hogs and their increase and also my sheep - I will and bequeath to Andrew A. Cobb all my tract of land that I now live on lying on Adams Creek Waters of Chauga Waters of Tugalo River containing one hundred and ninety acres more or less and also one Rifle Gun. I further will and bequeath to Nancy Adams all the Household and Kitchen furniture and also all the farming tools. I will and bequeath to my first born children Namely Polly Wadkins John Cobb James Cobb and Ephraim Cobb all my interest in my Father's Estate to be equally divided among them. This December the eight One Thousand eight hundred and forty nine.
Signed and sealed in the presence of these Witnesses
Lamech Chambers
Massiah x Long
Thomas J. x Wadkins
Robert Cobb
South Carolina}
Pickens District} William Steele Ordinary for the District aforesaid do certify the foregoing and within to be a true copy of the last Will of Robert Cobb admitted to probate in common form as filed in my office and Given under my hand and seal this 4th day of Jany 1850.
Signed William D. Steele
Analysis: The list of beneficiaries and the nature of what Robert willed to them is extraordinary. " I will and bequeath to Nancy Adams one sorrel horse and all my stock of cattle hogs and their increase and also my sheep .... I further will and bequeath to Nancy Adams all the Household and Kitchen furniture and also all the farming tools." From this it seems rather obvious that at the time of his death, he was not living with his wife Ellen Greer. However, it also seems odd that he would bequeath Nancy everything but the house and the land it stood on. Are we to believe that while he resided with Nancy Adams, he actually had the audacity to give away the livestock and household goods then in the possession of his wife Ellen at a totally different location?
"I will and bequeath to Andrew A. Cobb all my tract of land that I now live on lying on Adams Creek Waters of Chauga Waters of Tugalo River containing one hundred and ninety acres more or less and also one Rifle Gun." This researcher is in physical possession of a very clear and legible copy of Robert Cobb's Will, and can only conclude that Robert was referring to his son Andrew J. Cobb who was known as"Addy". This Andrew was the youngest child Robert produced with Nancy Adams, and at the time of his father's death Andrew was only six years old. After so many years experience in genealogical research, it seems odd that such an inheritance was not left in trust for Andrew until such time as he reached his legal majority. However, the instrument reads to indicate that Robert gave the child fee simple title to the land immediately.
Also note that he named as other beneficiaries Robert L. Cobb, "my first born children namely, Polly Watkins, John Cobb, James Cobb, and Ephraim Cobb." The latter four were his children by his legal wife, while the former was his son by Nancy Adams.
It is noted that several of his children were not named at all ...Rolling, Caroline, Maria, and Martha Cobb, the remaining children by his mistress Nancy Adams; as well as a son David and a daughter Martha by his wife Ellen Greer. Roling is known to have lived until 1888, in the immediate area, therefore his omission remains a mystery. However, one H. R. Hughes was listed as a purchaser of items from Robert's estate, and it is known that Roling married one Mary Hughes, possibly a Hughes relative. Caroline is named as one of the purchasers of items from her father's estate, rather than as a beneficiary, and she is also listed as Caroline Adams, indicating that she never took her father's name. Maria is known to have married one James Adams, possibly a kinsman of her mother. Son David was married and a resident of Greenville District. Daughter Martha by Ellen Greer was also still living in Pickens District, and her omission from Robert's Will is also mysterious. (It has been speculated that the children Robert omitted from his Will may have disapproved of their father's lifestyle, and that as "punishment" he saw fit to leave them no inheritance.)
Almost from the instant of Robert's death, his Will was the subject of controversy. On 18 November 1850, Robert's son John (by Ellen Greer) filed a motion to have the Will laid aside, apparently on the basis that since Nancy Adams was not Robert's legal wife, neither she or her children were entitled to an inheritance from Robert, and that thus, on a technicality, the instrument could not be considered the "legal" Last Will and Testament of Robert Cobb. It seems that litigation must have ensued, as on 30 May 1851, the Will of Robert Cobb was in fact laid aside, and H. R. Hughes was appointed Administrator of Robert's estate. That court record reads as follows:
The Will of Robert Cobb Dec'd: John C. Cobb having filed his petition to have the Will of Robt Cobb proved in solemn form having given notice to parties to appear as the Law directs on the 8th Nov 1850. The parties not being all ready it was by the Consent of Parties put off till the 18th Nov--- Lamech Chambers one of the subscribing Witnesses to the Will was sworn says he was present and seen Robt Cobb sign the Will and he also wrote the Will that Thos J Wadkins was a Witness that the said Wadkins was also an heir of the Estate that he had married the dec'd daughter -- that Nancy Adams who was named in the will was not the lawful wife of the said Cobb that Robert L and A. A. Cobb named in the will were her children by Robt Cobb - that all the property there was willed to Nancy Adams and Robt L Cobb and A. A.Cobb.
No other Witnesses being offered I Decree that the said to be set aside as it is not the last Will and Testament of said Robt Cobb Dec'd.
15 Nov 1850 W. D. Steele
Additional litigation followed this action, but the decision was finally upheld in 1851.
Following is a list of purchasers of items from Robert's estate:
Nancy Adams
Nimrod Sullivan (possibly a kinsman of Robert's brother, James Cobb)
Caroline Adams
John More (possibly Morehead; difficult to read)
Ephraim Cobb
H. R. Hughes
John Adair (kinsman by marriage of Robert's brother, Andrew Ambrose Cobb)
Masiah Long
John B. Cobb (son of Robert's brother, Andrew Ambrose Cobb)
The list of creditors paid from the sale proceeds of Robert's estate follows:
D. Spencer
I. Smith
L. Chambers
I. Shed
Lewis Eaton (possibly a kinsman of George W. Eaton, who eventually married the widow of Robert's brother, Andrew Ambrose Cobb)
G. W. Phillips
Ira Gassaway
G. B. Norris
C. C. Petty (possibly Pitts; difficult to read)
[N1806] This is calculated by the date of birth of the first known child of this marriage.